"Centuries of accumulation have only allowed me to barely step into the peak of the Condensing Pill realm. Will I, Daoist Niu, truly never be able to break through to the Golden Core realm?"
After breaking through to the peak of the Condensing Pill realm, Daoist Niu did not appear particularly excited. Instead, a hint of confusion flickered in his sunken eyes.
As he had said before, only by living could one qualify to pursue deeper truths, and only by living was anything possible.
Therefore, even after witnessing Zhang Fan's formidable strength, he had not given up on surviving. Cultivators who could reach such a level on Earth were all individuals with tenacious willpower and strong inner fortitude.
Even facing a ten-in-a-million chance of survival and insurmountable adversity, he would fight with all his might.
As a body-refining expert in the mid-Condensing Pill realm, the Martial Saint of Changbai Mountain, by unleashing his 'Zhang San Golden Body,' had seen his combat power approach the threshold of the late-Condensing Pill realm.
Yet, even so, he was utterly defenseless against Zhang Fan. Thus, he understood that this Saint Master Zhang's strength had completely surpassed the Condensing Pill realm, reaching the level of the Golden Core.
Therefore, only by condensing a Golden Core could he have any hope of survival today.
However, condensing a Golden Core was exceedingly difficult. He had been accumulating for a century, and even at this moment of desperation, his breakthrough had not yielded the expected results.
Seeing this, Zhang Fan did not mock Daoist Niu. Instead, he felt a pang of sadness.
Condensing a Golden Core was a formidable task for the vast majority of cultivators. Yet, with Daoist Niu's talent and intellect, if he had been born on a planet rich in spiritual energy and cultivation resources, he would likely have condensed a Golden Core long ago.
But unfortunately, he was born on this spiritually barren Earth.
"Condensing a Golden Core is not inherently difficult. With your talent, you should have been able to achieve it. However, it is impossible on Earth."
"Given Earth's current cultivation environment, it is simply impossible to condense a Golden Core," Zhang Fan sighed lightly and said.
Even for him, condensing a Golden Core on Earth was an arduous task, though not impossible.
However, Zhang Fan did not voice this thought.
"Impossible! Didn't the Half-Moon Immortal who perished a century ago condense a Golden Core?" Daoist Niu roared in a low voice, feeling that Zhang Fan was deceiving him.
"Did the Half-Moon Immortal not tell you that he was not from Earth, but from the vaster expanse of the cosmos?" Zhang Fan shook his head and said.
Daoist Niu stared intently at Zhang Fan, disbelieving this revelation.
"That's true. With the Half-Moon Immortal's vision and power, even when gravely injured, he would not have deigned to look upon Condensing Pill realm cultivators like yourselves. It's perfectly normal for him not to tell you." Zhang Fan chuckled.
The Golden Core condensed by the Half-Moon Immortal was of the highest grade, and in his prime, his power rivaled that of Nascent Soul stage cultivators. The Condensing Pill realm cultivators on Earth were like ants in his eyes. Even when severely wounded, he could have effortlessly annihilated them with a wave of his hand.
Would a giant tell his inner thoughts to an ant?
Clearly, it was impossible.
"Then, Saint Master Zhang, why do you possess strength that surpasses Condensing Pill realm cultivators?" Daoist Niu asked again.
Upon hearing this, Wuchen Sword Immortal also turned his gaze towards Zhang Fan, his eyes filled with intense curiosity.
"Me?"
Zhang Fan shook his head and said, "Some things are not for you to know."
In his eyes, Daoist Niu was no different from a dead man. He had spoken so much to him only because some of his words had resonated with his inner feelings. However, regarding his own secrets, Zhang Fan naturally would not divulge them.
"Very well, after so much talk, it is time to send you on your way. I will ask one last time, do you have any last words?"
Zhang Fan had asked Daoist Niu and Bai Tu and others this question once before when he arrived at the island, but they had not taken it seriously, dismissing it as Zhang Fan's jest.
However, Daoist Niu now felt that they had been the ones making a fool of themselves. A group of Condensing Pill realm cultivators uniting to deal with an expert who had reached the Golden Core realm was no different from courting death.
Daoist Niu pondered for a long time, but ultimately, he could not think of any last words. He had lived for over a thousand years; his loved ones were long gone, and he had no lingering attachments.
His only regret was failing to condense a Golden Core and explore the higher realms of the Dao.
"To die at the hands of a peerless expert like Saint Master Zhang is not a disgrace. However, I am curious, just how strong is Saint Master Zhang's power? May I witness it?" Daoist Niu said.
Zhang Fan had displayed too few techniques throughout the entire encounter, making it impossible for them to gauge the limits of his strength.
"Very well, I can grant you that wish."
After saying this, Zhang Fan took one step at a time, walking towards Daoist Niu.
As he took his first step, the power of the Demolition Domain began to be released, and a powerful force of disintegration enveloped Daoist Niu, causing his features to contort and his body to tremble involuntarily.
Daoist Niu was inwardly horrified. He was certainly aware of the power of domains; every Condensing Pill realm cultivator possessed one. However, generally, if the difference in domain power was not too significant, its effect in combat was lessened.
Thus, they had not unleashed their domains in the previous battles.
But feeling the power that constantly permeated his entire being, making his blood seem to flow in reverse, Daoist Niu realized how weak his own power was.
Under the suppression of the domain, even though he had now reached the peak of the Condensing Pill realm, he could only exert half of his strength.
When Zhang Fan arrived before Daoist Niu, Daoist Niu did not attack. Instead, he asked, "Is this the domain possessed by a Golden Core realm expert? It is indeed powerful."
Zhang Fan shook his head, offering no explanation. He slowly extended a finger and pointed it at Daoist Niu's forehead. The potent force of his finger pierced through Daoist Niu's head, creating a finger-sized bloody hole between his brows.
A trace of unwillingness flickered in Daoist Niu's eyes as he slowly fell.
Thus, of the five individuals who had invaded the island, all but Wuchen Sword Immortal, who had surrendered, perished.
Witnessing this from afar, Lin Haotian, Zhang Xing'an, and the others showed expressions of joy. Although they had faced dire circumstances today, everything had ultimately been resolved.
Moreover, Zhang Fan's increased strength brought them immense delight.
Even an existence like Daoist Niu was utterly defenseless in his hands. Who else on Earth could rival Zhang Fan?
Zhang Fan waved his hand, collecting Daoist Niu's corpse into his Star Tableau, and walked towards his parents.
"Holy crap, you're too awesome!"
Yi Feicheng excitedly rushed towards Zhang Fan, landing a punch squarely on his chest. Zhang Fan remained unfazed, while Yi Feicheng, clutching his fist, yelped in pain.
"You're a freak!"
Yi Feicheng felt as if he had punched steel, nearly breaking his bones.
"You brat, how did your strength improve so quickly? You had your old man worried for nothing earlier." Although Zhang Xing'an grumbled, the smile on his face could not be contained, and he burst into hearty laughter.
"I had some fortuitous encounters in Europe this time, so my strength has indeed improved by a large margin," Zhang Fan said with a smile.
At this moment, the Blood Demon Flood Dragon soared over, coiling around Zhang Fan with a somewhat aggrieved air.
The Martial Saint of Changbai Mountain had indeed inflicted considerable injuries on it earlier, leaving it still somewhat weak.
"You performed admirably this time. Go and rest well, and I will compensate you properly."
Zhang Fan gently stroked the Blood Demon Flood Dragon's head, comforting it.
This time, by dispatching four Earth Immortals, he had obtained four Yuan Pills. Particularly Daoist Niu's Yuan Pill, which contained a purity and energy far exceeding the sum of the other three. It could be used to refine a considerable number of high-grade elixirs.
Furthermore, the corpses of the four Condensing Pill realm powerhouses contained a large amount of blood, sufficient to refine many Blood Pills. Previously, he had promised Blood Ancestor Xue Jing to collect the blood of powerful individuals to aid his recovery, and these Blood Pills were also excellent healing elixirs for the Blood Demon Flood Dragon.
...